Independent Spirit Award for Best Film

The Independent Spirit Award for Best Film (or Best Feature) is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards, presented to recognize the best in independent filmmaking, it was first awarded in 1985 with Martin Scorsese's film After Hours being the first recipient of the award.

Independent Spirit Award for Best Film
Awarded forBest Independent Film
CountryUnited States
Presented byFilm Independent
First awarded1985
Currently held byEverything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Websitefilmindependent.org

Criteria

In order to be considered as an independent film and therefore being eligible to this category, nomination committees base their decision on four criteria, "uniqueness of vision, original, provocative subject matter, percentage of financing from independent sources and economy of means"; the latter refers to a budget ceiling of $22.5 million.[1] In 2022, Film Independent increased the budget cap for eligible films to $30 million to account for the rising cost of production.[2]

In the following lists, the first titles listed are winners. These are also in bold and in blue background; those not in bold are nominees.

Winners and nominees

Notes

1980s

Year Winner Distributing company(s) Director(s)
1985
[3]
After Hours The Geffen Film Company/Warner Bros. Martin Scorsese
Blood SimpleCircle FilmsJoel Coen and Ethan Coen
Smooth TalkGoldcrest FilmsJoyce Chopra
The Trip to BountifulIsland PicturesPeter Masterson
1986 Platoon Orion Pictures Oliver Stone
Blue VelvetDe Laurentiis Entertainment GroupDavid Lynch
Down by LawIsland PicturesJim Jarmusch
On Valentine's DayAngelika FilmsKen Harrison
SalvadorHemdale Film CorporationOliver Stone
Stand by MeColumbia PicturesRob Reiner
1987 River's Edge Island Pictures Tim Hunter
The Big EasyColumbia PicturesJim McBride
The DeadVestron PicturesJohn Huston
MatewanCinecom PicturesJohn Sayles
Swimming to CambodiaCinecom PicturesJonathan Demme
Tough Guys Don't DanceThe Cannon Group, Inc.Norman Mailer
1988 Stand and Deliver American Playhouse/Warner Bros. Ramon Menendez
HairsprayNew Line CinemaJohn Waters
Patti RocksFilmDallas PicturesDavid Burton Morris
The Thin Blue LineMiramax FilmsErrol Morris
Torch Song TrilogyNew Line CinemaPaul Bogart
1989 Sex, Lies, and Videotape Miramax Films Steven Soderbergh
Drugstore CowboyInternational Video EntertainmentGus Van Sant
Heat and SunlightSilverlight PicturesRob Nilsson
Mystery TrainOrion ClassicsJim Jarmusch
True LoveUnited ArtistsNancy Savoca

1990s

Year Winner Distributing company(s) Director(s)
1990 The Grifters Miramax Films Stephen Frears
Henry: Portrait of a Serial KillerGreycat FilmsJohn McNaughton
The Plot Against HarryNew Yorker FilmsMichael Roemer
Pump Up the VolumeNew Line CinemaAllan Moyle
To Sleep with AngerThe Samuel Goldwyn CompanyCharles Burnett
1991 Rambling Rose New Line/Seven Arts Martha Coolidge
City of HopeThe Samuel Goldwyn CompanyJohn Sayles
Hangin' with the HomeboysNew Line CinemaJoseph Vasquez
HomicideTriumph FilmsDavid Mamet
My Own Private IdahoFine Line FeaturesGus Van Sant
1992 The Player Fine Line Features Robert Altman
Bad LieutenantAries FilmsAbel Ferrara
Gas Food LodgingCinevilleAllison Anders
Mississippi MasalaThe Samuel Goldwyn CompanyMira Nair
One False MoveI.R.S. ReleasingCarl Franklin
1993 Short Cuts Fine Line Features Robert Altman
EquinoxIRS MediaAlan Rudolph
Much Ado About NothingThe Samuel Goldwyn CompanyKenneth Branagh
Ruby in ParadiseOctober FilmsVictor Nuñez
The Wedding BanquetThe Samuel Goldwyn CompanyAng Lee
1994 Pulp Fiction° Miramax Films Quentin Tarantino
Bullets over BroadwayMiramax FilmsWoody Allen
Eat Drink Man WomanThe Samuel Goldwyn CompanyAng Lee
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious CircleFine Line FeaturesAlan Rudolph
Wes Craven's New NightmareNew Line CinemaWes Craven
1995 Leaving Las Vegas United Artists Mike Figgis
The AddictionOctober FilmsAbel Ferrara
Living in OblivionSony Pictures ClassicsTom DiCillo
SafeSony Pictures ClassicsTodd Haynes
The Secret of Roan InishSony Pictures ClassicsJohn Sayles
1996 Fargo° Gramercy Pictures Joel Coen
Dead ManMiramax FilmsJim Jarmusch
The FuneralOctober FilmsAbel Ferrara
Lone StarSony Pictures ClassicsJohn Sayles
Welcome to the DollhouseSony Pictures ClassicsTodd Solondz
1997 The Apostle October Films Robert Duvall
Chasing AmyMiramax FilmsKevin Smith
LovedMDP WorldwideErin Dignam
Ulee's GoldOrion PicturesVictor Nuñez
Waiting for GuffmanSony Pictures ClassicsChristopher Guest
1998 Gods and Monsters Lionsgate Films Bill Condon
AfflictionLionsgate FilmsPaul Schrader
Claire DolanNew Yorker FilmsLodge Kerrigan
A Soldier's Daughter Never CriesOctober FilmsJames Ivory
Velvet GoldmineMiramax FilmsTodd Haynes
1999
[4][5]
Election Paramount Pictures Alexander Payne
Cookie's FortuneOctober FilmsRobert Altman
The LimeyArtisan EntertainmentSteven Soderbergh
The Straight StoryWalt Disney PicturesDavid Lynch
Sugar TownOctober Films/USA FilmsAllison Anders and Kurt Voss

2000s

Year Winner Distributing company(s) Director(s)
2000
[6]
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon° Sony Pictures Classics Ang Lee
Before Night FallsFine Line FeaturesJulian Schnabel
George WashingtonContentFilm InternationalDavid Gordon Green
Ghost Dog: The Way of the SamuraiArtisan EntertainmentJim Jarmusch
Requiem for a DreamDarren Aronofsky
2001
[7]
Memento Newmarket Films Christopher Nolan
Hedwig and the Angry InchFine Line FeaturesJohn Cameron Mitchell
L.I.E.New Yorker FilmsMichael Cuesta
Things Behind the SunShowtime NetworksAllison Anders
Waking LifeFox SearchlightRichard Linklater
2002
[8]
Far from Heaven Focus Features Todd Haynes
The Good GirlFox SearchlightMiguel Arteta
Lovely & AmazingLionsgate FilmsNicole Holofcener
SecretarySteven Shainberg
TullySmall Planet PicturesHilary Birmingham
2003
[9]
Lost in Translation° Focus Features Sofia Coppola
American SplendorHBO FilmsShari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
In AmericaFox SearchlightJim Sheridan
Raising Victor VargasSamuel Goldwyn FilmsPeter Sollett
Shattered GlassLions Gate FilmsBilly Ray
2004
[10]
Sideways° Fox Searchlight Alexander Payne
Baadasssss!Sony Pictures ClassicsMario Van Peebles
KinseyFox SearchlightBill Condon
Maria Full of GraceFine Line FeaturesJoshua Marston
PrimerTHINKFilmShane Carruth
2005
[11]
Brokeback Mountain° Focus Features Ang Lee
Capote°Sony Pictures ClassicsBennett Miller
Good Night, and Good Luck°Warner Independent PicturesGeorge Clooney
The Squid and the WhaleSamuel Goldwyn FilmsNoah Baumbach
The Three Burials of Melquiades EstradaSony Pictures ClassicsTommy Lee Jones
2006
[12]
Little Miss Sunshine° Fox Searchlight Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
American GunIFC FilmsAric Avelino
The Dead GirlFirst Look InternationalKaren Moncrieff
Half NelsonTHINKFilmRyan Fleck
Pan's LabyrinthPicturehouseGuillermo del Toro
2007
[13]
Juno° Fox Searchlight Jason Reitman
The Diving Bell and the ButterflyMiramax FilmsJulian Schnabel
I'm Not ThereThe Weinstein CompanyTodd Haynes
A Mighty HeartParamount VantageMichael Winterbottom
Paranoid ParkIFC FilmsGus Van Sant
2008
[14]
The Wrestler Fox Searchlight Darren Aronofsky
BallastAlluvial Film CompanyLance Hammer
Frozen RiverSony Pictures ClassicsCourtney Hunt
Rachel Getting MarriedJonathan Demme
Wendy and LucyOscilloscope PicturesKelly Reichardt
2009
[15]
Precious° Lionsgate Lee Daniels
(500) Days of SummerFox SearchlightMarc Webb
AmreekaNational Geographic EntertainmentCherien Dabis
The Last StationSony Pictures ClassicsMichael Hoffman
Sin NombreFocus FeaturesCary Fukunaga

2010s

Year Winner Distributing company(s) Director(s)
2010
[16]
Black Swan° Fox Searchlight Darren Aronofsky
127 Hours°Fox SearchlightDanny Boyle
GreenbergFocus FeaturesNoah Baumbach
The Kids Are All Right°Lisa Cholodenko
Winter's Bone°Roadside AttractionsDebra Granik
2011
[17]
The Artist The Weinstein Company Michel Hazanavicius
50/50Summit EntertainmentJonathan Levine
BeginnersFocus FeaturesMike Mills
The Descendants°Fox SearchlightAlexander Payne
DriveFilmDistrictNicolas Winding Refn
Take ShelterSony Pictures ClassicsJeff Nichols
2012
[18]
Silver Linings Playbook° The Weinstein Company David O. Russell
Beasts of the Southern Wild°Fox SearchlightBenh Zeitlin
BernieMillennium EntertainmentRichard Linklater
Keep the Lights OnMusic Box FilmsIra Sachs
Moonrise KingdomFocus FeaturesWes Anderson
2013
[19]
12 Years a Slave Fox Searchlight Steve McQueen
All Is LostLionsgateJ. C. Chandor
Frances HaIFC FilmsNoah Baumbach
Inside Llewyn DavisCBS FilmsJoel Coen and Ethan Coen
Nebraska°Paramount VantageAlexander Payne
2014
[20]
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Fox Searchlight Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Boyhood°IFC FilmsRichard Linklater
Love Is StrangeSony Pictures ClassicsIra Sachs
Selma°Paramount PicturesAva DuVernay
Whiplash°Sony Pictures ClassicsDamien Chazelle
2015
[21]
SpotlightOpen Road FilmsTom McCarthy
AnomalisaParamount PicturesCharlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson
Beasts of No NationBleecker Street/NetflixCary Joji Fukunaga
CarolStudioCanal/The Weinstein CompanyTodd Haynes
TangerineMagnolia PicturesSean Baker
2016
[22]
MoonlightA24Barry Jenkins
American HoneyA24Andrea Arnold
ChronicWild BunchMichel Franco
JackieFox SearchlightPablo Larraín
Manchester by the Sea°Amazon Studios/Roadside AttractionsKenneth Lonergan
2017
[23]
Get Out°Blumhouse/Universal PicturesJordan Peele
Call Me by Your Name°Sony Pictures ClassicsLuca Guadagnino
The Florida ProjectA24Sean Baker
Lady Bird°A24Greta Gerwig
The RiderSony Pictures ClassicsChloé Zhao
2018
[24]
If Beale Street Could TalkAnnapurna PicturesBarry Jenkins
Eighth GradeA24Bo Burnham
First ReformedA24Paul Schrader
Leave No TraceBleecker StreetDebra Granik
You Were Never Really HereAmazon StudiosLynne Ramsay
2019
[25]
The FarewellA24Lulu Wang
A Hidden LifeFox SearchlightTerrence Malick
ClemencyNeonChinonye Chukwu
Marriage Story°NetflixNoah Baumbach
Uncut GemsA24Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie

2020s

Year Winner Distributing company(s) Director(s)
2020
[26][27]
NomadlandSearchlight PicturesChloé Zhao
First CowA24Kelly Reichardt
Ma Rainey's Black BottomNetflixGeorge C. Wolfe
Minari°A24Lee Isaac Chung
Never Rarely Sometimes AlwaysFocus FeaturesEliza Hittman
2021
[28]
The Lost DaughterNetflixMaggie Gyllenhaal
A Chiara Neon Jonas Carpignano
C’mon C’mon A24 Mike Mills
The Novice IFC Films Lauren Hadaway
Zola A24 Janicza Bravo
2022
[29]
Everything Everywhere All at Once A24 Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Bones and AllMGM/United Artists ReleasingLuca Guadagnino
Our Father, the DevilResolve MediaEllie Foumbi
Tár°Focus FeaturesTodd Field
Women Talking°MGM/United Artists ReleasingSarah Polley

Distributors with most wins and nominations (3 or more)

  • Netflix - 3 (one win)
  • A24 - 12 (three wins)
  • Island Pictures - 3 (one win)
  • Fox Searchlight/Searchlight Pictures - 17 (eight wins)
  • Orion Pictures - 4 (one win)
  • Columbia/Sony Pictures Classics - 20 (one win)
  • The Weinstein Company - 4 (two wins)
  • Miramax - 9 (three wins)
  • Universal/Focus Features - 13 (four wins)
  • Fine Line Features - 7 (two wins)
  • IFC Films - 5 (no wins)
  • Samuel Goldwyn - 8 (no wins)
  • MGM/United Artists - 4 (1 win)
  • Artisan Entertainment - 3 (no wins)
  • New Line Cinema - 6 (one win)
  • October Films - 7 (one win)
  • Lionsgate - 7 (two wins)
  • New Yorker Films - 3 (no wins)
  • Warner Bros/Warner Independent Films - 3 (two wins)
  • Paramount/Paramount Vantage - 5 (one win)

References

  1. "FAQ". Film Independent. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  2. Hammond, Pete (2022-08-23). "Spirit Awards Set 2023 Date, Go Gender-Neutral And Increase Budget Cap". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-10-17.
  3. Film Independent Spirit Awards - 34 Years of Nominees and Winners
  4. "'The Limey,' 'Election' Got the Spirit". Hollywood.com. January 14, 2000. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  5. "'Election' Elected by Spirit Awards". Hollywood.com. March 26, 2000. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  6. "Tiger Takes 3 Spirit Awards". ABC News. March 24, 2001. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  7. ""Memento" Has the Spirit". E! Online. March 23, 2002. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  8. Hernandez, Eugene; Brooks, Brian (March 22, 2003). ""Far From Heaven" Sweeps 2003 Independent Spirit Awards". IndieWire. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  9. Hernandez, Eugene (February 28, 2004). ""Lost In Translation" Tops Independent Spirit Awards, "Station Agent" Another Big Winner". IndieWire. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  10. Hernandez, Eugene (February 28, 2005). "Sideways Wins Six at Independent Spirit Awards". IndieWire. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  11. Germain, David (March 4, 2006). "'Brokeback' named best independent film". USA Today. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  12. McNary, Dave (February 24, 2007). "'Sunshine' brightens Spirit Awards". Variety. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  13. Siegel, Tatiana (February 23, 2008). "'Juno' tops Spirit Awards". Variety. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  14. Brooks, Brian (February 21, 2009). ""The Wrestler" Leads 2009 Spirit Award Winners". IndieWire. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  15. Breznican, Anthony (March 6, 2010). "'Precious' dominates Spirit Awards with 5 prizes". USA Today. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  16. Knegt, Peter (February 27, 2011). ""Black Swan" Lead Spirit Award Winners". IndieWire. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  17. McNary, Dave (February 25, 2012). "'The Artist' dominates Spirit Awards". Variety. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  18. "Independent Spirit Awards 2013: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. February 23, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  19. Atkinson, Katie. "Independent Spirit Awards 2014: The winners list". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  20. "Spirit Awards 2015: The Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. February 21, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  21. "Spirit Awards 2016: Complete Winners List". Variety. February 27, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  22. Earl, William (February 26, 2017). "2017 Independent Spirit Awards: Full Winners List". IndieWire. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  23. Nyren, Erin (March 3, 2018). "2018 Independent Spirit Awards: Winners List (Updating Live)". Variety. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  24. Welk, Brian (February 24, 2019). "Independent Spirit Awards 2019: Complete Winners List". TheWrap. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  25. D'Alessandro, Anthony; Blyth, Antonia (February 8, 2020). "Independent Spirit Awards Redresses Female Balance With Wins For Lulu Wang, Olivia Wilde & Julia Reichert – Complete Winners List". Deadline. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  26. Grobar, Matt (April 22, 2021). "'Nomadland' Wins Independent Spirit Awards For Best Picture, Director, Editing & Cinematography, Further Solidifying Oscars Prospects". Deadline. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  27. Sharf, Zack (April 23, 2021). "2021 Independent Spirit Awards Winner's List". IndieWire. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  28. Long, Brent; Tangcay, Jazz (December 14, 2021). "Indie Spirit Awards 2022: Full List of Nominations". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  29. Davis, Clayton (November 22, 2022). "Independent Spirit Awards Nominations: 'Everything Everywhere' Leads With Eight Noms". Variety. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
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